#nikkei asia

[skyandpeople]

[carlocarrasco]

Housing companies in Japan seek more workers from the Philippines and other nations

Housing companies located in Japan are looking towards the Philippines and other countries as sources of workers that can be hired for their services in connection with the surging local demand, according to a Nikkei Asia news report. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Nikkei Asia news report. Some parts in boldface… Companies in Japan that offer housekeeping…

[banmaihong]

Nikkei: Apple chuyển hướng sản xuất iPad sang Việt Nam

Truyền thông Nhật Bản Nikkei Asia hôm thứ Sáu (8/12) đưa tin, ‘gã khổng lồ’ điện thoại thông minh Mỹ Apple đang chuyển nguồn lực phát triển sản phẩm iPad sang Việt Nam. Ảnh: NYC Russ/ Shutterstock Nguồn tin cho biết Apple đang hợp tác với một trong những đối tác Trung Quốc là BYD để chuyển nguồn giới thiệu sản phẩm mới (NPI) sang Việt Nam. BYD là hãng xe hơi Trung Quốc nhưng cũng lắp ráp sản phẩm…

[0613magazine]

032423 Nikkei Asia

For BTS's Jimin, music transcends language barriers

South Korean singer releases solo album that peers deep into his soul

TOKYO -- BTS member Jimin will release his debut solo album "Face" on Friday, marking a milestone since the sensational South Korean boy band decided to concentrate on their solo projects and the oldest member, Jin, was conscripted into the military last December.

In a recent written interview with Nikkei, Jimin divulged the creative muses that went into his new album. He also talks about how music is powerful enough to transcend national borders and languages, and lays out how BTS aims to stage a comeback in 2025.

Edited excerpts from the interview follow.

Q: How did you prepare for the release of your "Face" debut solo album?

A: I worked on "Face" while looking back on the time during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as on my own self. I began actively working on the album from the start of 2022. One of the things that pushed me to do the album was [BTS] members suggesting I try expressing my various thoughts and feelings into music.

Just knowing that my album is about to be released worldwide has made me so nervous that I feel like I'm trembling. It's my first solo album and I wonder how people would react to it. ... But the tension feels great.

Q: You said this album will express your true self, but how would you describe the true Jimin?

A: Various emotions will be part of you after going through a variety of experiences in life. I believe that everyone has a deeper aspect of themselves that they don't really want to confront. I made my solo album while peering at the feelings deep within myself.

Even the word "face" can be used as a noun, or as a verb as in "to confront." I want to show my true face and speak to you honestly. For those who are used to seeing the glamorous side of me on stage, this album will show the other side of me, and show me overcoming my loneliness and struggles through music.

Q: Would you mind telling us your goals and your inspirations as a solo artist?

A: For me, everything about this solo album was a way of challenging myself, so I believe this is a different start for me as a singer. So rather than having a very large goal, I want to live up to the feelings of everyone who has high hopes for me. I'd also be glad if those who don't know much about me are able to discover how I've transformed.

Whenever I view the other [BTS] members, they always influence me positively and they're a source of inspiration for music and performing. Lately, I had been given an opportunity to collaborate with Taeyang [the artist also known as Sol in the boy group Big Bang], my longtime role model whom I look up to. It was such a wonderful influence seeing him look far more incredible than I would've imagined.

Q: How do you see the success BTS has achieved since its debut in 2013?

A: Thanks to the support from all our fans, I was able to have an unbelievably dreamlike experience. I don't take anything for granted, whether it is being nominated for a Grammy, or winning the No. 1 spot on Billboard's main Hot 100 chart -- those were all miracles that would not have happened without the "Army" [BTS fans] who love our music and performances.

I think that I need to do my best and live up to the passionate support I have received, which has motivated me to strive and move forward.

Q: The other BTS members are also working on solo projects. How do you enjoy each other's work?

A: The other members were nervous before the release of their solo albums, but they're turning out well. Their music reflects their own individual color, and the performances and the approach to their projects are filled with their own distinct personalities that I personally have fun watching as I support them.

The advice from the members was the catalyst for me to produce my solo album. The words from the members helped me during the production of the album, and for me personally, they also played a role in deciding which direction my album should take, which is reassuring.

Q: What are your thoughts on the power of music?

A: I'm a singer but I'm also a listener, and I receive positive energy and comfort from music. Just like other artists' music has affected how I think and given me strength, I hope people can feel what I feel and resonate with my music. That's what drives me to keep making music.

Music lets us relate to other people at any time, under any circumstance, and reminds us of who we were in those moments. That's the biggest power music has. Music can transcend countries and languages. We saw that firsthand, so we know better than anyone how powerful it can be.

Q: Aside from your new album, what's in store for you in 2023?

A: This year will be full of new challenges for me, including the release of "Face." I'm focusing solely on the album for now. But I'm thinking about how I can show different sides of myself, and have many things in the works. I also don't have any hobbies I can talk about, so I'd like to find one.

Q: How do you think solo activities by BTS members will help the group in the future?

A: When I see what the other members are doing, I'm amazed by just how different we all are. Making my solo album made me realize how much I relied on other members on certain things. I faced deep dilemmas about music as well. I think the other members are experiencing similar things, which will help generate great synergy when we come back together as a group.

Q: What are your thoughts on the influence you and BTS have?

A: It's all thanks to our fans. They not only loved our music, but they translated our songs from Korean and requested them on American radio stations, which allowed us to reach a wider audience.

If we have any influence, it's thanks to everyone who has supported us. So I strongly feel that we should do our best to not let any of that go to waste.

Q: K-pop is now recognized as its own genre across the world. Why has it appealed to so many people?

A: That's a really difficult question. As one of the people making the music, it's hard for me to look at it objectively.

But I am touched to see so many people love and enjoy K-pop across borders and language barriers. I hope that K-pop will continue to show us the power of music. BTS, including myself, will keep doing our best to be at the center of that.

Q: Do you have a message for your fans in Japan?

A: Hi, it's Jimin of BTS. We haven't been able to see each other for so long, but your support has helped me bounce back from difficult moments many times. I will do everything I can to make better music so I can help during your hard times. I'm also grateful for you and I love you.

Source: Nikkei Asia

[btsx50states]

From @/NikkeiAsia on Twitter:

Jimin, a member of the K-pop group BTS, talks about the creative muses that went into his new album in an interview with Nikkei.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

TOKYO – Sayuri Ogawa spent 20 years living in accordance with Unification Church doctrine. Her family forced her to attend services and read the church's literature, and she was forbidden to have romantic relationships.

Ogawa was told that she would go to hell if she violated the rules.

Her parents impoverished her family through prodigious donations to the church, also known as the Moonies after founder Sun Myung Moon. She was bullied at school for appearing poor, and her parents confiscated her savings of around 2 million yen ($14,300), claiming they would use it for living expenses. Ogawa never saw that money again, but her parents kept donating to the religious group.

Years of mental health struggles led Ogawa to leave the church six years ago. "I want the church to be dissolved," Ogawa told Nikkei Asia. "Society must not allow the wrongdoings of this group."

On Tuesday, Japan's Ministry of Education and Culture announced the beginning of an official investigation into the Unification Church's activities, invoking its "right to question" the group under Japan's Religious Corporation Law. The announcement follows months of revelations about links between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the church.

This is the first time the right to question a religious group has been exercised since the law was revised in 1995 following a deadly sarin gas attack on Tokyo's subway by Aum Shinrikyo, another controversial religious group. Under the law's provisions, if enough evidence of "violating the law and significantly harming public welfare" is found, the Unification Church in Japan could be dissolved, stripping the group of its "religious juridical person" status and tax benefits.

The government's investigation launches shortly after Ogawa went public with her story at a news conference on Oct. 7, where she called for the church to be disbanded in Japan. Since then, more than 200,000 people have signed a petition on the website change.org asking for the church to be dissolved.

...

"Dissolving the church would send a strong message to society, and to similar fringe religious groups," Levi McLaughlin, an associate professor of religion and philosophy at North Carolina State University and longtime scholar of Japanese religious groups, told Nikkei Asia.

McLaughlin added that only two out of Japan's roughly 180,000 registered "religious juridical" organizations have been dissolved since the Religious Corporation Law was enacted after World War II: Aum Shinrikyo and Myokakuji, a temple group that was accused of fraud and ordered to dissolve in 2002.

The case against the Unification Church is strong. Testimonials from former members such as Ogawa have been making headlines in Japan since Abe's death. They include the story of Tatsuo Hashida, whose son burned himself to death after his mother donated extortionate amounts of money to the church.

...

Experts say that dissolving the church would not infringe upon members' religious freedoms, as it would simply change the group's legal standing, not prevent people from becoming followers or practicing their faith.

"A dissolution order would not mean the organization itself will disappear but it would mean the government revokes the group's religious juridical person status. The group would no longer enjoy tax exemptions and other benefits, but it would continue to exist," said Hotaka Tsukada, an associate professor of the sociology of religion at Joetsu University of Education.

...

Yoshifu Arita, a journalist and former Upper House member for the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, considers the group "an anti-social organization, not a religion."

Arita told Nikkei Asia that the group operates "under the guise of religion," and that Japan should provide better education on religion and cults in schools to prevent people from being sucked in by the church's promises of "community and kindness."

...

Last month, it was revealed by the Asahi Shimbun that some LDP lawmakers had signed a policy agreement with church-affiliated organizations in which politicians promised to act in favor of constitutional amendments and exercise "caution" regarding LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage.

...

"I am grateful to Prime Minister Kishida for taking this issue seriously," defector Ogawa told Nikkei Asia in an interview on Nov. 12. "Children are being harmed by this organization ... action must be taken as quickly as possible."

The current spotlight on the Unification Church presents an important opportunity not to repeat mistakes made after the Aum Shinrikyo incident. In the nearly 30 years since the imprisonment and subsequent execution of Aum's leaders after the 1995 sarin attack on Tokyo's metro — which left 14 dead — the issue of religious groups in Japan has been largely swept under the rug.

In 2000, the government compiled a report focusing on measures to prevent such attacks from recurring. The report was obtained by Eito Suzuki, a freelance journalist who has been investigating the church for over 20 years, and viewed by Nikkei Asia. It lays out the need to establish support systems for cult defectors and a research center dedicated to cult studies.

The government did not implement any of the measures listed in the report, said Kimiaki Nishida, a cult expert and professor of social psychology at Tokyo's Rissho University.

...

Suzuki, the freelance journalist who has been raising awareness about cults for years, hopes Japan can harness the momentum triggered by Abe's assassination to push for social change.

"The church problem has broader implications for the entire nation ... as we are now living with the rise of conspiracy theories in the internet era," Suzuki said. "We should expand our awareness to other groups that take advantage of people's vulnerability. Society as a whole needs to tackle this issue."

[memenewsdotcom]

Nikkei 225 hits record high

[trendynewsnow]

Market Overview: European and US Stocks Retreat Amid Economic Uncertainty

Market Overview Both European and US markets have pulled back from their recent all-time highs, suggesting a likely end to the week on a lower note as the rally appears to be losing steam. This selloff seems to be fueled by heightened risk aversion stemming from economic uncertainties and the approaching US presidential election. In this climate, safe-haven assets such as the US dollar, gold,…

[uniqueeval]

Japan Tankan, Powell inflation comments, Golden Week

Commercial and residential buildings in the Minato district of Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets are mixed on Tuesday, after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated the recent outsized cuts enacted by the U.S. central bank should not be interpreted as a sign that future moves will be as aggressive. “This is not a committee…

[fannyjemwong]

REVISTA ORIENTAL (ENERO)

REVISTA ORIENTAL Adjuntamos el link para leer la revista Oriental, en su versión digital del mes de enero 2024 / Especial por el Año Nuevo Lunar Chino “Año del Dragón de Madera” https://indd.adobe.com/view/7e675a1e-b8d7-4196-aca2-84cc076bbf7c Para leerlo colocar el cursor sobre el link y apretar la techa Ctrl y hacer click En versión PDF, abrir el link y en la parte inferior hay una nube con…

[vikartaa]

Asia markets open mixed, EV maker shares resume selloff amid Tesla's slowdown warning

Commercial and residential buildings at dusk in the Minato district of Tokyo, Japan. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Friday as investors digested inflation data from Tokyo. Shares of electric vehicle makers in the region dropped for a second day, unable to shrug off worries sparked by bellwether Tesla’s slowdown warning. Hong Kong-listed shares of Xpeng and…

[wpristav]

Nikkei Asia утверждает, будто бы президент Путин сказал Си Цзиньпину на встрече в марте 2023 года, что Россия будет воевать на Украине пять лет

Японский новостной журнал Nikkei Asia, ссылаясь на неназванные источники, пишет, что якобы во время встречи лидеров России и Китая в Москве в марте этого года Владимир Путин сказал Си Цзиньпину, что «Россия будет воевать на Украине по крайней мере пять лет».При этом японское издание отмечает, что эти слова были сказаны российским президентом в контексте своего обращения к Си с просьбой «не менять ... Читать дальше »

[werr455]

Asia markets decline as investors assess Japan's inflation; Evergrande bankruptcy file in China

36 minutes ago Philippine central bank governor says there is room for further rate hikes The head of the Philippine central bank said there is room for further interest rate hikes without hurting economic growth. “I think we have room to go hiking without shrinking the economy,” Eli Rimolona, ​​governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, told CNBC. The Philippine central bank left its benchmark…

[mrbilge]

NIKKEI225 20.07.2023

Taisei Corporation (TYO: 1801) +2.29% - is a Japanese corporation founded in 1873. Its main areas of business are building construction, civil engineering, and real estate development.

Hoya Corporation (TYO: 7741) -4.22% - is a Japanese manufacturer of optical products such as photomasks, photomask blanks, and hard disk drive platters for the health-care market, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses for the health-care market, medical photonics, lasers, photographic filters, medical flexible endoscopic equipment, and software.

Find out more about NIKKEI225 constituents performance.

[terrasu]

And like, I am trying to get a grasp on world cuisine. I need to take extensive notes and expand this board by a factor of 100, but I am trying.

[niveditaabaidya]

Japan's Nikkei At 33 Year High. #japan #asia #china #nikkei #finance #ne...